Telephone-service metering system and apparatus.



G. BABGOCK. TELEPHONE SERVICE METERING'SYSTBM AND APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1910. 1,012,793, Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

-2 sums-sum 1. a 1.

G. BABCOGK. TELEPHONE SERVICE METERING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS. APPLICATION rum JAN. 22, 1910,

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

. G ARRISON BABCOCK,

' State of New York,

' tion of the same,

- when 'a connection has 0 the called party answering or To all whom it may concern:

to provide a metering calling and called subscribers circuits,

- illustrates diagrammatically two telephone nnrrnn sra rns rarest? errrcn' OF ROCHESTER; NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 TELECHRONOMETER COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE-SERVICE METERING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

Specification oi Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 26, 1911. Serial No. 539,467.

Application filed lanuary 22, 1910.

lranged in conjunction with his telephone set, the message metering part of the mechi anism being adapted to be actuated into operative position manually by the subscriber and so arranged that it is operated Be it known that I, GARRISON Banooon of Rochester,.in the county of Monroe and have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Telephone-Service Metering Systems and Appaelectromagnetically only when the called ratus; and I do hereby declare the followsubscriber answers.

ing to be a full, clear, and exact descrlp- In the drawings A and B indicate respectively the calling and called subscribers stations at each of which is located the metering apparatus, station being shown in theoperated position. The subscribers circuits lead as usual to the tip and sleeve contacts of the reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specificatiom and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My presentinvention has for its object apparatus for use in'connection with the subscribers lines of telephone exchanges for recording the service rendered by each of said circuits and in conjunction therewith the providing of the system of circuits for controlling its operation.

.A further object. of my invention is to provide metering devices which record the connections actually established between and when said circuits are connected to record in given periods or divisions of time the number of minutes the connection was maintained.

Another feature of the invention comprehends an arrangement of circuits con trolling the metering apparatus so that it is rendered operative, or is actuated only been completed by,

closing his operate the plugs of the answering and calling cord circuits supplied with current for talking purposes.

- The calling subscribcrs line circuit comprises the wires 1 and 2, and. the answering cord cooperating therewith is composed of the conductors 3 and 4 leading respectively to the spring contacts 5 and 6 of the listening key and normally'in contact with the terminals of wires 7 and 8 leading to one side of each of the condensers G and C. The line circuit of the scriber comprises the line wires similarly indicated by 9 andlO, to which the conductors 11 and 12 of the calling cord may .be connected, said. conductors terminating in the contact springs 13 and i l 'ofthe ringing key, and normally in contact with the terminals of the wires 15 and 16, leading to the other members of the condensers O and C. Each subscribers telephone circuit comprisesthe usual transmitter T, receiver R, and receiver hook H, the latter being arranged to normally open the usual line contacts when the receiver is placed thereon. At the calling subscribers stacircuit.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter -more .-fully explained, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 a, the former comprising the terminal of the line wire 1.

The metering or registering apparatus associated with the subscribers telephone set preferably comprises .a plurality of numbered disks, connected together by a gear train, one ofwhich. is shown and indicated by a and provided with ratchet teeth with'which cooperates aspring operated pawl a carried upon a polarized armature a mounted upon the frame a of an electro- -magnet. The coil a of the latte'ris shown with its terminals a connected to the wire circuits with the central ofiice apparatus, and metering apparatus associated with each circuit, and Fig. 2'shows a modified construction of the metering apparatus.

The metering system apparatus con-, structed in accordance with my present in- 'ention is adapted primarily to register the number of calls initiated by a telephone subscriber, and after theconnection has been established to record the length of time consumed in despatching the message. To this end the apparatus is located at the subscribers station, and preferably ara leading from the contact a,- its opposite that the calling partyis central oilice switchboard, with which co-' answering subtion these contacts are indicated by a and -m the hook moved in one direction ceeperates with the; contact a" from which leads the wire o .engage one of the te'eth of the ratchet whenever the subscriber originates a call,

' mature will be ture with a tai plained hereinafter,

direction of will record the length.

divisions of time in At the central oflice is arranged the usual ,atin'g In conjunction. therewith is a direct I tery X. The generator is provided withthe of one of the supervisory or feed relays of extremity a being connected to the wire a", which is a continuation of the line wire 2. The armature a, normally stands in its attracted position, but is adapted-to be elevated sufiiciently to cause the pawl a to.

the cal; ,eqrd side, the other extremity of said '0 fitting connected by the wrre to the wire :16. The calling cord circuit is completed to the battery X by the w re w, leading from the wire 15, and 1n which s v arranged the coil .w of the other super e 'visory relay of the calling cord circuit; The battery and generator are also adapted to be connectedto the answering cord conductors 37 and Leading from the '75" battery ,X is a wire m which is connected to the conducton' l, but which "hasinterposed theneimthes ipervi'sin relay 0011 w, and a normallyopenpair o contacts com-' 1 prising the terminal 412* and while it is obvious that this operation may be accomplished in various ways, I prefer to arrange the parts" so that the .aractuated or moved into, the retracted position by the release of the. re. ceiver hook. One means of accomplishing this object consists in arranging these-parts in juxtaposition and providing thet-arma-;= piece a with which co operates a pivoted dog orpawl a mounted; on the inner end ofthe hook H, said-pawl being adapted to pass out of engagement and the armature maths latter beingldisposed in front of one of the supervising'relays of the calling cord -circuit,' ins'the" present instance the relays), and when the." contacts, last mentioned, with the armature to release the latter whenare c'losedit will 'belseen" the conductor 7 is s; arrested at the'limit of its. up- "connected: to one side'.=of the battery X, and

' 'througlrit andthe'wire a connection may =fbe1traceil to the brush??? The other brus of theygeiierator-is'eonhected to the con duct'or 8H f theAanswei-ing "cord by the wire 96 ya in-iwliich is located'the' 'other supervisory f relay-boil 3 R gThe fieldf'bf 'the-"agenerator "Y is shown. ,provided -withfthe "coil Y, and, in circuit therewith indluded a source of exciting; currguit Y and a suitable form 'of timing mechanism Y all so arranged that the'" Ward movement; In order to remove .miz' an the ,impedancevoati-the coil a from the line, whenit is beings-used; for conversational purposes, I employ in' conjunction with the mechanisin' ust-xde scribed, "another 7 polarized.- electromagnet' having an armature controlling a circuit which short circuits or shunts the coil a at certain times, as will be more fully ex-, This part of -.th mechanism comprisesan electromagnet haw-'1 ing a coil a arranged in the wire a, saidco1l bein polarized by the magnet a, and having is e armature.a".s The latter when "clbsdlat' given 'P O of time, which may be expressed 'in' seconds,,a-snnple'means of 109 'n'ient of the parts, as"shown,which 'inclu es I providing the field circuit with a'set of co Cooperating tacts operated by a member driven b a terminating in the contact a. with the latter is the normally open spring. contact a,which is adapted to be closed suitable clock'train, Y i when thearmature a is attracted. Lead-'- The central ofiice operators' telephone set ing from the contact a? is a wire/1 concomprises the receiver R and transmitter nected to the armature a. The latter'may' T connected to opposite sides of the batbe caused to vibrate by variationsi'in the tery 'X'by the wires' 2, 2 tappedjonto the the flow, orpotential of the cursprings 2 ,2 of the listening key, which rent supplied .to the line circuit, and thisare positionedfto-coeperate movement may be also utilized to-operate a 5 and 6 "of the "answering cord to su l registering device indicated by a, which battery to. the calling subscriber for tal of time the-line is'in purposes 'while'the operator is ascertaining use, said'reco'rd'being indicated in given, the connection desired. accordance with the The battery X and the generator Y are pro-determined variations of the line curarranged relatively to each other in'such a rent. manner that the current supplied'to the lines I from each of these sources will'flow in opposite directions and thetiming device Y controls the generator in-such a way that the latter alternates with the battery in su'pplymg current to the line for equal divlsions' of time. Now the peratin'g electromagnet of the message recording meter comprising the parts a,, a are polarized in reference to the direction .of the flow-of. current despatched by the generator Y,-'an d i n ll l p ra i g nfion'u fi 1.. tion therewith and comprising the ,a'; 113$? with the springs battery, indicated by X I for supplyin current to: the subscribers g circuits, and oper-Y current generator Y, which adapted to. also supply current to the line, and to generate a voltage in excess of that of the batbrushes 3 and 3 one ofwhich 'is' connected by the wire 3 to the .Wire y. leading from one side of the battery, and to the coil 3 field cireuit will be' alternatelyi opened and' accomplishing this object being the arran e a can only and magnet a, is similarly polarized'in will be seen, therefore, that the armature be attracted by current flowing from the generator Y, and that the armature a will likewise be attracted only by current flowing in the opposite direction from the battery X. It will be understood that in place of using a genin one direction erator and battery arranged for conjoint operation, two batteries or two generators may be employed for furnishing the necessary current of opposite polarity for actuating the different polarized parts of the metering'apparatus. Q

In describing the operation of the apparatus it will be assumed in the first instance that the calling subscriber at the station A has initiated a call in the usual manner, and that the releasing of the receiver hook caused the' armature a to be elevated into the position shown in dotted lines, causing the pawl a to be adv'ancedinto engagement with one of the teeth of'the ratchet wheel a?- in readiness to rotate the latter one step. This elevation of .the armature may have occurred when the call-was initiated, or it may stand in this position as the result of the operation of the receiver hook in answering a previous call, as shown by the position of these parts at the station of the subscriber B. It is immaterial, however, when this operation of the armature occurs for when it has 7 tained in this posit-ion by the ratchet wheel a until retracted by its magnet to record a message, and in the arrangement of the circuits as I have shown them, the current is only transmitted to the calling subscribers station unless for some reason it should be desired to reverse the charge, which could be done at the volition of the central office operator by reversing the answering and calling cords after receiving the necessary instructions to set up the connection.

In answering an incoming call the operator inserts the plug of the answering cord into the jack of the calling line and pressing the listening key throws the springs 5 and 6 into engagement withthe contacts 2 2 Now, should it happen that the armature a is resting in engagement withthe contact a currentwill flow from battery.:through said contacts, but should these contacts, a and a, happen to be open the battery current would pass momentarily from the line wire 1 through the coil a to the wire a thence to the line wire 2 (the-contacts a and a being open) and cause'the armature- (I15 to engage the contact a. After the desired connection'has been'set up by the ins'er tion of the plug of the calling cord into the jack of the called subscriber the listening key is released and the ringing key operated When the called subscriber [wire 00 coil as to battery.

been once moved? upwardly it'is re-- to signal thecalled party, but until he responds v there is no current on the line. answers in, the movement of. his receiver hook closes the hook contacts at his station and current passes from the battery X over the followlng circuit: Battery X, wire 3 coil 11 wires y 16, spring 14, cord conductor 12, line w re 10 through the telephone set to line wire 9, cord conductor 11, spring 13, conductor 15,

The current traversing said circuit energizes the supervisory relays and the relay :0 atracts thearmature 5 into engagement with the contact m wh ch permitscurrent to be cut back to the calling subscriber A to be supplied to his end ofthe line alternately from the'difi'e'rent sources of current,-v If at the instant the contacts as and m are closed t e battery X is supplying the source of icurrent. for talking purposes, the path of the current over this 'endof the linemay' be traced 'as follows; Battery X, wirey brushy', y, Q '1/ ;wir y, answering cord conductor 4, line wire 2, wire a coil a, wires a 'a -,arma ture a, contact a wires a",'a ,.fa cont-acts a, a,line wire 1, cord conductor 3, spring 5, wire 0 contacts in, 90?, coil :0 wire m At the moment the timing mechanism Y causes the generator to supply current the latter flows in the opposite direction over the circuit, just'described, causing the contacts (1, and a to be opened, whereupon said current passes through the coil of the electromagnet a".by passing over the wires a 0 to coil a, wires a line .wires' 1 and 2.) The energization of the electromagnet a by current: of the proper polarity causes the armature a to be attracted to actuate the message meter a and close the contacts a and (1 when closed short circuits the coil a thus removing its impedance from the line and ourrent for talking purposes, if thereafterward transmitted from either of the two sources over the cord conductors,. to the line wires of the calling subscribers station from which point it may be traced as follows: Line wire 1, contacts a and. a wires (1 ,0 a, contacts (2., a, line wire 2.- rThe current flowing over this .circuit periodically in opposite directions causes the swinging of the armature a and this movement may be employed, as berecording in units of time the line is in S6IV1C6.

It will be noticed that only one source of this reason the polarized controlling member of the metering apparatus of this circuit causes the operation of its armature b commutator, brushy wire a conductor 8, spring 6,'

to battery.

thence by wire a. to wire a (the and a 'being continuations of the The latter fore described, to'actuate the meter a for total time the current, the battery X, is connected to the answering subscrlbers circuit, and that for ing in opposite-directions.

magnets operates the message may be termed the major magnet, the. other called the minor or controlling magnet; The

direction of flow v actuated by registering device register, separate comprising coils arranged 1n the telephone one direction and the current being unvarying holds it closed against the contacts 6 i we find two electromagnets which, are oppo- .1nstrument circuit as shown in Fig. 1, or

scribed to respond to cu ating the armature a for short circuiting the coil oi" the first men- 4- tioned magnet and means for rent periodically;

icorder for measuring the length of time means for s iunting "connection re ister' .555

- cuit supplied with and to shunt the coil 6 during the time'conversation is being held, or the answering subscribers line is in use.

In the arrangement of the parts described cuit for shunting magnet coilhaving set being adapted to be closed upon the operation'of the last mentioned magnet and the other adapted to be closed upon the op eration of the time registering magnet.

4. The combinationwith a telephone circuit, a source of current therefor and means sitely polarized to respond to current flow- One of these meter a and magnetoperating the contacts of the shunt circuit leading around said magnet, may be mg armatures, said magnets being polarized to attract their respective armatures when energized by current of opposite polarity, the armature of the ,minor magnet being also capable of repulsion when its magnet is energized by current of one polarity, of meansfor normally setting the armature of the major magnet in retracted position and latter may be a separate coil inserted in the it may be formed of one of theinduction coils of the telephone, set, as indicated by 0, in Fig. 2; In such an instancethe armature-0, 3? is polarized as before derent of the opposite polarity from that employed for actuof the message meter magnet a, and said armature a controls the branch or shunt'circuit for cutting out the coil a by coiiperating with the conby, a time service meter movement of the armature of the IIllIlOI the telephone circuit around the major mageither of the two attracted.

5. The combination with a telephone circuit having connected thereto armatures when they are I claim as my invention:

1..The combination with attelephone circuit supplied with the ordinary talking current and a pole changer fortalternating the ofsaid current, of two electromagnets comprising? coils arranged in the telephone circuit, said magnets being oppositely polarized, a message meter one magnet, atime recording meter operated by the other magnet, means 7 comprising primary and secondary windings, and a pole piece adapted to be magnetized by said windings, of an electromagnet aranged in the telephone circuit, said pole piece and magnet being oppositely polarized, a by the magnet, ,a time .recording meter operated by the pole piece, and means for short ci'rcuiting the rent, a pole changer and means for periodically varying the changes in the direction ot flow ofthe current over the telephone circuit. i

6. The combination with a telephone 'cirvarying the changes in the direction of fiow of the our- The combination with a telephone circuit supplied with ordinary} talking current and means forchanging the direct-ion of flow of the current periodically, of metering mechanism comprising a device for registering connections set up and a reconnected-thereto comprislng primary and secondary windings, and

the pole piece, of an electromagnet arranged in the telephone circuit, said pole piece and magnet being oppositely polarized, a message meter operated by the magnet, a time recording meter operated by the pole piece armature and a short circuit for the magnet having contacts controlled by said armature, a source of cui'rent, a pole changer .and means for changing the of the current the circuit is in use, separate polarized electromagnets for actuating the connection" and the time recorder, both arran ed in .the telephone circuit and the electromagnet of the upon its operation.- I

3. The com ination with a telephone cirordinary talking current means--for changing the direction of flow of the current periodically, of metering mechanism comprising a connection establi'shing register and a time. recording polarized electromagnets over the telephone circuit. GARRISON BABCOCK.

Witnesses: RUssELL B. GRIFFITH, G. WILLARD RICH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

'- Washington, D. 0."

circuit for actuating the connection register. and time recording register, a branch cirthe connection register two sets of contacts one,"

an inductive type telephone set message meter operated,

cuit having an inductivetype telephone set for periodically alternating its direction of flow, major and minor electromagnets hav-" a message reglstering device operated there operated by the magnet and a branch circuit leading from net having contacts adapted to be closed by j magnet coil, a source of curan armature fordirection of flow v 

